Today, distributed computing environments are assuming an increasingly important role in the data processing activities of many organizations. A typical distributed computing environment often includes a plurality of widely dispersed server computers residing in remote locations. These server computers perform data management and other functions for one or more client computers which are attached to each server computer via a computer network. In the past, when a problem occurred with a server computer, an administrator would have to be physically dispatched to the remote server computer location in order to resolve the problem. However, such "boffice visits" were a costly, highly inefficient way of doing business.
As a result, several remote management tools were developed to enable administrators to manage server computers in remote locations via a computer network. Such tools allow administrators and technicians to diagnose and solve problems with remote server computers from a single, centralized server management console.
One type of tool employed in remote server management is PC Basic Input Output System (BIOS) console redirection. The BIOS is responsible for booting the computer by providing a basic set of instructions. It performs all of the tasks that need to be done at start-up time, such as Power-On Self Test (POST), and booting an operating system from a floppy disk drive (FDD) or a hard disk drive (HDD). Furthermore, the BIOS provides an interface to the underlying hardware for the operating system in the form of a library of interrupt handlers. For instance, each time a key is pressed, the Central Processing Unit (CPU) performs an interrupt to read that key. In a similar manner, interrupt handlers also provide an interface to serial and parallel ports, video cards, sound cards, hard disk controllers, and other peripheral devices.
The features of the BIOS permit input/output operations within a remote server to be redirected to a centralized server management console in another location. PC BIOS console redirection tools have been available from Phoenix and other BIOS vendors for several years. These tools provide a method to troubleshoot system boot problems from a remote location using an interface that is like being in front of the system console.
Unfortunately, prior art PC BIOS console redirection tools required someone local to the remote server to enable the console redirection feature using a BIOS setup utility. Often, the remote servers run unattended in physically remote locations, wherein it is often difficult to find a person capable of enabling the console redirection feature. Alternatively, the console redirection feature could be permanently enabled at the remote server. However, permanent enablement of the console redirection feature poses a security threat, since the console redirection feature is not password-protected.
Also, many of the prior art PC BIOS console redirection tools have also required a relatively expensive, dedicated microcontroller to assist in the redirection function. The addition of a dedicated microcontroller to the remote server to perform the console redirection is often prohibitively expensive, especially in low-cost servers.
In view of the above, there is a need for an apparatus and method for remotely initiating BIOS console redirection on a server computer. Furthermore, the apparatus and method for remotely initiating BIOS console redirection preferably does not require a relatively expensive, dedicated microcontroller in order to accomplish its task.